In May 1899, Charles and Margaret Kemper bought four lots on Baum Street stretching from the corner of Frederick to the east. 

On the farthest lot from Frederick Street, 1414 Baum, the Kempers built their new Colonial Revival house. It was constructed by Curphey and Mundy contractors for $3,000. Kemper was the superintendent of Vicksburg city schools at the time. He was born near Charlottesville, Virginia and came to Vicksburg as a young man. He graduated from the University of Virginia with a law degree. He married Margaret in 1898 and they had two daughters, Mary and Katherine. They divorced sometime before 1915, because Margaret is listed as having married again in that year. Kemper was the superintendent for 16 years before losing his position to John Carr in May 1906.  A number of teachers from Walnut Street School and Speed Street School signed “testimonials” singing Kemper’s praises that were to be given to the school board, but were not. An article in the Vicksburg American stated that Kemper would remain in Vicksburg and engage in business here. He is listed in the 1911 city directory as being in real estate.

It appears that the house had become rental property by 1914. In that year, Richard and Maggie Griffith lived in the Baum Street house. He was a vice president of First National Bank and secretary of City Savings and Trust. In 1918, John and Mignonne Caldwell and William and Laura Caldwell lived here. John was the manager of Vicksburg Feed Mills and William was a planter.  

Then, in 1921, John C. and Genevieve Greenoe were living in the house and remained as late as 1949, being joined there by Dr. Preston Herring and his wife Helen Greenoe, at least by 1937. Helen was a daughter of the Greenoes. John was the pastor at First Baptist Church. Herring was, according to his obituary in 1990, the first baby born in the Street Sanitarium (1902), which might be why his middle name was Street. He received his pre-med degree from LSU and his doctor of medicine at Tulane. He became associated with the Street Clinic in 1942. He and Helen had three daughters, Helen, Sherrill, and Ginger. His wife, Helen, is listed as living in the house as late as 1993. She died eight years after her husband.  

The house is currently in the process of being completely rehabbed and continues to be a beautiful part of the Baum Street neighborhood.  

– Nancy Bell, Vicksburg Foundation for Historic Preservation.